Avoid unplanned pregnancy with these tips and ways of having protected sexual intercourse.
Before men reach the climax, fluid is released called pre-ejaculation, commonly known as precum. Precum comes before semen, which may contain live sperm. Now the question arises ‘Can precum cause pregnancy?’
Amanda Kallen, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics, gynaecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine, says, “It just takes one good swimmer.” It is very much possible that if your male partner puts his penis inside your vagina, even for a moment, the sperm in the precum can reach your cervix and fertilise an egg.
Yes, precum can cause pregnancy. Precum is an involuntary bodily fluid that comes right before the semen during the climax. It’s true that pre-cum generally does not contain any sperm. But it is very much likely for the sperm to leak into the pre-cum.
Precum is a lubricant that prepares the urethra for ejaculation and acts as a lube during sex. It is possible for sperm to make its way out of the body through pre-cum if the urethra is lubricated enough. Also, the amount of pre-cum released varies from person to person.
And this sperm carrying precum can most likely lead to an unintended pregnancy. But precum alone can not cause pregnancy. How?
Mostly, precum does not contain sperm. Even if the precum enters the vagina, it does not mean that your partner can get pregnant. But your partner’s ovulation plays a significant role in heightening the chances of pregnancy.
Medically, the sperm can stay inside the reproductive tract, alive for as much as five days. And the ovulation begins around the middle of the menstrual cycle, about 14 days before the next period.
If you have sex with your partner for five days, including the day your partner starts to ovulate, it is likely for the possibly leaked sperm into the pre-cum to play its role in your partner’s vagina and cause the pregnancy.
A study found that 17% of the males’ precum carried motile sperms, which makes it highly conceivable once it meets the egg in the Fallopian tube.
Urinating before sex can lessen the precum’s chances of carrying any sperm as it flushes out the leftover semen in the urethra.
The withdrawal method may or may not work in most cases. Pulling out before ejaculation may not always mean that the pre-cum did not enter your partner’s vagina. How often can precum cause pregnancy depends upon the following situations:
However, other birth control measurements are taken which can prevent unplanned pregnancy.
Besides male condoms and timely withdrawal (which is not as effective), other emergency contraceptive ways can prevent pregnancy. Take a look at the following ways one can avoid an unintended pregnancy:
These pills can help in preventing pregnancy after having unprotected sex. If you consume a pill within 72 hours of unprotected sex, the chances of getting pregnant grow dimmer because it delays the ovulation, which means that the mature egg will not be released to get fertilised.
However, like any other hormonal medication, these pills have side effects:
The emergency contraceptive (EC) pills are available at any local medical store and are relatively reasonable. Also, contraceptives may not protect you against any STDs or STIs.
Emergency contraceptives also include the IUDs, commonly known as Copper-T. The IUD reduces the chance of getting pregnant upon having unprotected sex by 99%. It can last up to 10 to 12 years.
To avoid pregnancy, one can get an IUD inserted within five days after unprotected sex. Copper-T is more effective than any other emergency contraceptive measure.
The insertion of an IUD may cost up to $500 to $1000 in the USA. The government has provided it free of cost in India at the government family planning centres. And at private centres, it can cost up to Rs. 500.
Women have been using diaphragms as a birth control measure for a long time. A diaphragm is a small cup made of silicone or latex that a woman places inside her vagina. This cup blocks the sperm from reaching the egg.
Unlike contraceptive pills, a diaphragm doesn’t interfere with your hormones. If it is placed correctly, you and your partner won’t feel it during sex. However, a diaphragm doesn’t protect against STDs or STIs.
It’s a chemical that inactivates sperms, available at the drugstores or online for you to purchase. You can use spermicide either with diaphragms, condoms or alone. If you are using it alone, you can insert the spermicide close to your cervix at least 10-15 minutes before having sex. It comes in different forms, such as cream, foam, gel, film, or suppositories.
Also read: Are you dealing with pregnancy alone? Know how to move forward!
Upon reading this post, I hope that you may have gotten the answer to the question ‘can precum cause pregnancy?’ To avoid additional headaches, have protected sex, use condoms, or take emergency contraceptive measures.
